In recent years scientists have noted that the average temperature of the earth has been increasing. The general assumption has been that man has been the cause of this global warming primarily due to the burning of fossil fuel and the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

What has been clear is that, on average, global temperatures have been rising. What hasn't been scientifically proven to some is that man is responsible for the increased temperatures.

Of course, the earth has always had gradual fluctuations in temperature. Illustrating this point, Michael Asher wrote on the science blog on Dailytech.com Feb. 26, 2008: "Over the past year, anecdotal evidence for a cooling planet has exploded. China has its coldest winter in 100 years. Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history. North America has the most snow cover in 50 years, with places like Wisconsin the highest since record-keeping began. Record levels of Antarctic sea ice, record cold in Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mexico, Australia, Iran, Greece, South Africa, Greenland, Argentina, Chile—the list goes on and on.

"No more than anecdotal evidence, to be sure. But now, that evidence has been supplanted by hard scientific fact. All four major global temperature tracking outlets (Hadley, NASA's GISS, UAH, RSS) have released updated data. All show that over the past year, global temperatures have dropped precipitously...The total amount of cooling ranges from 0.65C up to 0.75C—a value large enough to wipe out most of the warming recorded over the past 100 years. All in one year's time. For all four sources, it's the single fastest temperature change ever recorded, either up or down."

This is interesting, but many will point out that one year does not a trend make.

Global warming (or is it global cooling?) has become a hugely contentious issue that has engulfed politics, science, the world economy and efforts to equalize business opportunities for developing nations.

Regardless of the temperatures, we all need to follow God's instructions to take care of our planet, for God says He will "destroy those who destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18). VT